Dear Editor; Why did the school levy fail? Sociologists and Monday Morning Quarterbacks love to analyze failures. As the recent past has demonstrated, it is difficult to accurately predict elections or school levies. Annual household income and the percentage of families having school age children in Pocahontas County are low. These two demographics may be significant factors. Hopefully it won’t take a major infrastructure failure or a judicially ordered closure to change a few minds next time. Dick Evans Hillsboro Dear Editor; Allegheny Mountain Radio (AMR) has been a big part of my life since I retired back to the homeplace in 2009. I listen to Caroline in the Morning, news at noon, classical music at 2 a.m. with I wake up and can’t get back to sleep. My car radio is programmed to pick up each frequency as I drive about the region. As a volunteer, I have served on the Board and done a play-by-play for Lady Warriors basketball. Caroline and I talk sports on a majority of Friday mornings. Now this important part of my life faces potential budget cuts that will greatly reduce its ability to inform and entertain us. This is because the President has proposed the elimination of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Although local people and businesses are exceedingly generous, CPB provides more than one half of AMR’s income. It does so because AMR is the only radio signal in a large part of our region. That means it is an essential part of the national emergency communication system. So if you value AMR, write a letter to the Editor and let us know why. And while you are at it, let Evan Jenkins, our Congressman, and our two Senators know why AMR is important. Information on how to contact their offices is on the AMR website: www.alleghenymountainradio.org. Detailed information on the budget and the impact of the cuts is also there. Thanks for caring about our live, local community radio station. Rachel B. Tompkins Vice President, AMR Board of Directors
